..Calls for stakeholders collaboration
Gbolahan Salman Sokoto
The Almagamated Union of Foodstuffs and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria, Sokoto State chapter has commend Sokoto State gtribovernment on steps taken so far in tackling insecurity in the state.
The association however called on the state government to as a matter of urgency calls for a stakeholders meeting to allow its member have offered useful advise to the government and security agencies.
The secretary of the association in the state, Muhammad Abubakar, stated this while speaking with our correspondent in Sokoto over the weekend.
He said the association appreciate the steps taken by the government but expressed his disappointment at not carrying along his members who he described as major stakeholders before arriving at such decision.
He maintained that members of the association have a useful information which he said cannot be divulge out on pages of newspaper for security reasons.
Abubakar says since the decision to close most cattles market in the state, most of his association members have lost their legitimate means of surviving due to lack of job or patronage.
“You can see most of our members sitting down idle here, we have over 5,000 members in this cattle market here in Sokoto town with almost everyone here sitting alone.
“Some of them don’t even know where the next meal will come from. We don’t want government that create another problem while solving one.
“We appreciate government efforts taken so far but also appealed to them to call the major stakeholders involved to look at the development together and arrived at a reasonable solution.
“Part of talreadyave a waybill given to any vehicle loading with cattles from any part ofr our market in the state which will serve arrrs evidence that goods carried are not theft or restle one.
“The waybill which must be in the possession of trhe drivers include total number of , description in terms of colour, sex among others” he added.
The secretary however reassured that his members will as usual continue to give full support to the government on any steps taken to tackle insecurity in the state.
It will be recalled that Sokoto State government in about three weeks ago as a further precautionary measure to checkmate activities of bandits in the state close some major cattle markets in the state.
As announced by the state Commissioner for information, Isa Bajini Galandaci, on behalf of the state governor, the state also place a ban on movement of cattles from the state to any part of the country for security reasons.
